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I write fiction, and for some time now I've wanted to write polyamorous characters and now I have a story that they would fit in. I started to think about these people: who are they, what is their relationship like? And I decided I wanted them to have a V relationship, but then for other reasons I felt like the legs of that V should be siblings (brother and sister). He's marreid to hinge (F) and they all live together. So far so good…

But then I started to think, how would people react to this (siblings sharing a partner)? What is your reaction? Why? Is cousins any different? I really wouldn't like to make polyamory seem bad, but I do think the story leads and I follow.

There was a thread on here about that, oh a few months ago I guess? Woman married to a guy, I think they started poly, and then she was dating his brother, they were all living together. It blew up at some point, but I'm not sure that's "because" they were siblings as much as the husband just wasn't down with poly.

While I don't think there's anything wrong with that type of situation, I would never personally be interested in being in it. I doubt I would be interesting in reading anything based on it, either, since it's not something I would personally be able to relate to.

The reason I wouldn't be interested is the sexual aspect. Sure, I can intellectually admit that incest is a social construct for the most part (yes, if you're having sex with relatives for the purpose of procreation there are other issues, but safer sex for the fun of it... nothing inherently wrong with it), but even the thought of seeing/overhearing my sibling having sex turns me off. I also wouldn't want my partners' sibling(s) to hear us having sex. It happens on occasion when we're on vacation and staying with family, but on a regular basis, no thank you! When I'm involved with two people, I enjoy group sex if they're both into it. Them being brothers or brother/sister? Wouldn't work for me. Them being involved with my sibling? Wouldn't work for me.

AlwaysGrowing: In the story the two women mostly live together as the man travels (and always has) a lot. So maybe they've found a way to deal with noises on those occasions he's home.

Thanks SchrodingersCat. I also came across a mention of such situation in another thread today, but I'm not sure if it's different people. So maybe I'll go with it and write the story in a way that makes it clear there's nothing morally (or legally) wrong happening Always up for a challenge \o/ Anyway, I need to spend a couple of more days thinking about these characters, so there's still time to add your two cents.

The noises wouldn't be the only issue for me there... If i don't want to hear or picture my sibling having sex, I sure as hell don't wanna think about my PARTNER being the one he/ she is having sex with whether i am in or out of sight and hearing range. Lol but that's not really important.

ha, ha, welcome to my life. OK, so we don't live together but my partner is having a relationship with my sister and if it works out, down the track when her teenagers have left the nest, poly co-habitation is something my partner has always wanted to try. It's his ideal, don't know how Sis and I would cope.

I'm a writer too and thinking about writing something poly. Funny though that when I think about poly fiction I always think future sci-fi/fantasy, as if that is really the only place poly has widespread acceptance for readers. Maybe it's less threatening for people presented that way?

Back to your story. Neither my sister or I really identify as poly. Her relationship with my partner developed organically when she left her marriage and came to live close to us. She doesn't want a full time relationship so is happy with what she has with M (our hinge, my partner). If there was a poly/mono scale I think I would be somewhere in the middle and I am pursuing another relationship because I think it is a good way for me to cope with their relationship( I wouldn't be doing it but for M's polyamory). My bf is also mono so goodness knows what kind of letter identification you could place on all that. Oh I know it would look like a big tick, a v, elongated on one end

At present Sis and I haven't discussed her relationship with M. We are on good terms but I think it feels quite awkward for both of us. Neither of us wants to hurt the other or M so we are very careful about out actions. If you need any material questions answered feel free, it is quite an interesting dynamic.

I'm also a writer. My list of things publishers have published includes an MFM poly novel, and two related short stories about a bisexual poly teenage boy. All of that's contemporary... Our contemporary society might not completely accept polyamory (and more than one reviewer ranted about the teen stories "promoting sexual promiscuity" even though the character didn't even kiss his boyfriend or girlfriend), but it exists in real life, so it exists in my books.

Nothing with siblings, though; that pushes my personal squick button as a reader and an author. It just isn't *my* thing.

On the other hand, in the erotica/erotic romance industry I'm seeing more menage stories involving siblings who are sharing a partner, and even some "twincest" books being published by smaller e-presses.

So to answer from a publishing perspective, it would depend on your market. There definitely *is* a market for the type of story it sounds like you're planning. It's still fairly small and niche, but it does exist. Some of your potential readers might have no real concept of polyamory; they just think the idea of two siblings sharing a partner is hot. But readers are readers--the royalty money spends the same regardless of why someone buys the book.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if mainstream fiction was ready for poly? If this happens I think it will come via a crossover from the sic/fi fantasy route. I would love to write a love triangle that ended happily in a V relationship.

Just read your story premise below Copperhead and find myself wondering why two women would want to share a guy who is away travelling a lot. It's hard enough sharing a man as it is let alone a largely absentee one? What's in it for the girls?

Love? And note: they don't share the guy. He's married to one and is the other ones brother. The women have lots of fun when alone and then occasionally the man comes home to his wife and sister and they are both happy to see him. The three of them are close and care for each other and love each other, but the brother and sister don't have a sexual or romantic relationship going on.

The triad has existed for a very long time and all three are happy about it. I'm not writing erotica nor will the sexual aspect be emphasized at all (there might or might not be a discussion about "how on earth does it work for you" at some point. They are just friendly neighbors, and at some point of the story the main character learns of their love and living arraingments (and reacts with "Oh, ok… good for you I guess. So how about this thing we vere talking about?"). Also these are and will not be main characters in my story. Just a little extra. So I will not need to delve too deeply on the details of their relationship. But I might need these people in my future stories, so I want the premises to be thoroughly thought out.

But after KC43s comment I went back to the drawing board and started to wonder why they need to be siblings (or cousins). It's because of the last name. I wanted them all to have the same name.

The last name doesn't have to come from being related. One of my friends and his girlfriend have the same last name; they aren't related, neither changed their name, or anything like that. They just happen to have the same last name. They joke that it works because even though they've been living together for almost 7 years now, they're never going to get married, but people think they are.

Sage, even though it's published by a small press (i.e. one you might not have heard of, but they pay royalties and have books in a few stores here and there), I have a novel that does end in a happy poly V situation. And it's purely contemporary; no sci fi or fantasy bits at all. It was published three years ago. In that novel, it started with a woman living with her boyfriend, who reconnects with a former lover and realizes they still have feelings for each other. The boyfriend encourages the woman to act on her desire for her friend, thinking she just needs to "get it out of her system" before they get married, but they all quickly realize the woman wants both men. And after a lot of negotiation, communication, and thinking, the boyfriend and woman invite the other guy to move in with them. It was published as a romance novel.